Identifying Formative Assessment in the Classroom

Water, Water, Everywhere: Designing Water Filters – Water – Environmental Engineering

North Chelmsford, MA
Saving Salila’s Turtle
Example 1 from video 4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=ShAM9XcaXmU&ab_channel=EiE-MuseumofScience%2CBoston
Transcript of the video clip:
0:30- 1:24> The teacher says, “I’m going to give you ten minutes to brainstorm and draw the
best three ideas on your paper. When ten minutes is up, you’re going to meet with your group
and you’re going to think about which idea is the best, and maybe that means that you have to
take part of ideas from each one of these and make your own plan for tomorrow.” The students
work individually and brainstorm ideas and draw them on their worksheet for the type of
materials needed to make the most effective water filter. While they are doing this, the teacher
is walking around and looking at their ideas.
Training students how to self-asses so they understand the main purposes of their learning
and Intentionally structuring into a piece of teaching opportunities for students to express
their understanding: In this instance, the students first take the time to individually think
about what they have learned about pollution and water filters. While they are
brainstorming, they are thinking about what the main purpose of this water filter is and
what kind of pollution it is meant to stop. By doing this, they are demonstrating how
much they understand about what they have discussed as a class about how a water filter
works and how different materials can help stop different types of pollution. It is unclear
in the video if the brainstorming worksheet will be collected for any sort of grade, but the
fact that they are doing it and the teachers are walking around while they are doing it, is
a form of formative assessment that was intentionally planned for the students to work
through their understanding of the water filter.

Transcript of this video clip:

4:24-4:46> A student approaches her teacher because she is unsure what clarity number to give
to her water after it has been filtered. The teacher asks, “Can you see anything floating around
in there?” The student replies, “Yeah.” Thea teacher then asks, “You, do? A whole lot or not a
lot?” The student then replies with, “Just a little bit.” The teacher then picks up the example of
purified water and mixes it up and asks the student, “Do you see anything floating around in
there when I mix it up?” The student replies by saying, “Nope.” The teacher then picks up the
contaminated example and asks the student, “Now, do you see anything floating around in
there?” The student shakes her head yes. The teacher then says, “So, what do you think this it
is for particles then, a one (and points to the purified water) or a two (while pointing to the
contaminated water).” The student replies and says she thinks it is a two and the teacher then
agrees.
Providing feedback to students that avoids comparisons to other pupils. The teacher talked
with the student one on one and walked her through the thought process. The teacher did
not simply give the answer, but she provided feedback for the student’s question. It is not
completely clear what different numbers were given for water clarity ratings because it
was not discussed in the video prior to this conversation. I can assume it was just cut
from the video for time purposes. The teacher did not compare the student to anyone
other student or any other student’s questions or thought processes. The teacher simply
provided feedback directly to the student to help her individually work through and
understand the problem at hand. The student walked away from this conversation with
more confidence in her answer. It is unclear from the video if any additional feedback
was offered after the assignment.